Playing Musical Chairs with Pianos

[Kent Swafford]

PNOTNR@aol.com wrote:

>The school where I work recently learned that an alumnus is interested in 
>making a donation to the school of music of a new concert grand piano.  

Dealing with benefactors is tricky. I am glad that I do not have to do 
it. If the benefactor wishes to give your school a piano, the school's 
attitude is likely to be to that they should take it. This is a much 
easier way to go than to tell the benefactor how to spend his money, 
which is what they would be doing if they suggested he help rebuild the 
existing pianos.

>My feeling is that right now we have two mediocre grands and if we sell one, 
>we'll end up with one nice new grand, and one mediocre grand.........for 
>$60,000.

>I'd also welcome opinions from you CAUT folks about what might be the best 
>way to go from here.  Thanks for any assistence.

There is another way of looking at this. The $60k is not the school's 
money; only the proceeds from the sale of one existing grand is the 
school's money.

If you sell one grand and the benefactor donates money to buy a new 
grand, then the school will in effect have traded an old piano for a new 
piano without spending any of the school's cash. This is likely a good 
deal IMHO.

Presently, you have two grands that "need work." After the alumnus does 
his thing you will have one piano that needs only regular maintenance; 
whatever resources there may be for renovating pianos will be needed for 
work on only one piano, not two.

Kent Swafford